Schwarber feels the Philly love despite getting 'walked off' in epic Home Run Derby finals

PHILADELPHIA -- It happened to Kyle Schwarber again.

On the verge of winning his first Home Run Derby in front of his hometown fans, Schwarber could do nothing but stand and watch as Cardinals star Jordan Walker unloaded for six consecutive home runs to defeat Schwarber, 12-11, in the final round of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

It was reminiscent of the 2018 Home Run Derby, when Schwarber -- then with the Cubs -- watched now-teammate Bryce Harper -- then with the Nationals -- unleash a late flourish to steal the crown at Nationals Park.

“I go, ‘Dang, got walked off again.’ Got walked off twice now,” Schwarber said with a laugh afterward. “But it was a great time, trust me. I put it all out there.”

It was a disappointing ending to a night that had it feeling like Red October had come to Philadelphia a bit early this year.

The ovations Schwarber received on his way to his runner-up finish -- not to mention the boos for just about anyone not in a Phillies uniform -- rivaled any postseason atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park.

Schwarber got the first of what proved to be many rousing ovations when he came out just for batting practice -- more than an hour before the Home Run Derby. The fans only got louder when Schwarber's name was the first one called by legendary announcer Michael Buffer during player introductions.

“They erupted. That’s what you live for, right?” Schwarber said. “You want your hometown to be behind you, and they were every second of it. From when we got introduced to the first pitch to all the way to the end. So I tip my cap to the Philadelphia faithful. They showed out tonight.”

When it finally came time for Schwarber to step into the box, he had to calm himself down after starting 0-for-3 on his first three swings.

“It was unbelievable. From pitch one, I felt like I was just going too hard, trying way too hard because I wanted to do it for them,” Schwarber said. “Talking to yourself, you're like, ‘Man, I’ve just got to slow it down here because it's rowdy.’ You feel it, and you feed off that. It got louder as we went, but it felt like it also got easier to tame it once we kept going forward.”

Things reached a fever pitch when Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras -- needing one more homer to tie Schwarber in their semifinal showdown -- popped up on his final swing to send Schwarber through to the finals against Walker.

And the volume reached deafening levels after each of Schwarber's 11 home runs in the final round. Walker, however, followed by hitting 12 -- including going 5-for-5 on his final five swings as the boos grew louder with each one.

Surely he had to think he was in a good spot after hitting 11 home runs on 15 swings?

“I never think I have it won,” Schwarber said. “I mean, I knew I was in a good position, but I know anything can happen, too.”

Especially under the new format in which each player got 15 swings in the finals, but on their “last” swing, they could keep going as long as they kept homering.

So even when Walker was five behind Schwarber with only three swings left, it wasn’t over yet. Walker homered on each of his next two swings, leaving himself in a position where he had to hit three consecutive homers on his final ball to tie it -- or four to win it.

On his first swing, Walker hit a ball that bounced off the top of the wall and landed in the shrubbery in straightaway center field for No. 9.

“The big one was that ball that hits the top of the wall there and snuck over,” Schwarber said. “I was like, ‘Oooo, that one's not good for us.’”

With the boos growing louder, Walker then hit Nos. 10, 11 and 12 in succession.

“Jordan was unbelievable there,” Schwarber said. “You can't say enough about how he was able to kind of slow the moment down and lock it in. All of our fans were raring, trying to will me to it, and he was able to slow it down and get those swings off, and you tip your cap to him.”

“What a crazy ending,” said fellow Phillies All-Star Brandon Marsh. “… That's what it's all about. It was just special.”

So, any chance Schwarber tries to finally finish the job next year in his former home ballpark at Wrigley Field?

“Oh man,” Schwarber said. “You’ve gotta give me another year to think about that.”